Hoof-pad



(No Model.) i

NL G. MOONEY HOOF PAD.

N0. 576,320'. Y Patented Feb 2, 1897.

NIE

Partnr OFFICE..

HOOF- PAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,820, dated February 2, 1897. Application filed November 13, 1896. Serial No. 611,984. (No modeLl .To @ZZ 'whom t may concer/L:

Be it known that I, NICHOLAS G. MooNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sing Sing, in the county of Vestchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hoof-Pads, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a pad for the hoofs of horses and other draft-animals, and is used in connection with the short or calkless shoes with the object of giving the horses'hoof a better hold on asphalt or slippery streets during winter.

To these 'ends myinvention consists ot' a hoof-pad which comprises an elastic cushion provided with an inwardly-projecting portion and with tapering forwardly extending tongues or fins and also with tapering strengthening-ribs extending from the inner corners of the cushion along the inner edges of said tongues or tins and a superposed soleplate of horseshoe shape connected at its rear ends by a transverse connect=ingpiece,whereby a central opening conforming to the interior space of the hoof is provided, said soleplate being stitched or otherwise suitably fastened to the cushion and its fins.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation showing my hoof-pad used in connection with a calkless shoe and applied to a horses hoof. Fig. 2 is an enlarged under side view of the same, portions of the shoe and sole-plate being broken awa-y; and Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the well-known calkless and heelless shoe in connection with which my improved hoof-pad is used. The main elements of my hoof-pad are an elastic cushion B and a sole plate or layer O, superposed above the elastic cushion B and sewed to or connected thereto in any suitable manner. The cushion B is made quite thick at t-he point where it is applied back of the shoe under the posterior portion of the hoof and is formed with a projecting center portion b, which extends partly over the frog of the hoof, so as to give a bearing to the same. The cushion B is substantially U -shaped the thickened transverse m ain por tion or body of which is provided with for wardly-projecting tongues or ns b', formed by recessing the side portions of the cushion, said recesses receiving the end portions of the calkless shoe A, while the tins b of the elastic body are superposed above the shoe and constitute an elastic filling-layer between the shoe and the sole piece or plate O.- The recesses do not extend entirely across the side portions of the cushion, but terminate a short distance from theinner edges of the said side portions, so as to provide gradually-tapering strengthening-ribs or iilling-pieces b3, which extend along the inner edges of the shoe or the hoot` when the latter is applied to the pad.

While the main body B of the cushion furnishes the antislipping portion of the device, the thin interposed tongues or fins b afford a cushion for the rear ends of the shoe, so that there is a certain degree of elasticity presented to the said rear ends. The sole-plate C conforms in shape to the hoot' and is made slightly wider than theshoe A and connected at its rear ends by a bridge-piece C', that conforms to the shape of the cushion proper and has an opening d below the hoof. This soleplate O is either made of leather of suitable thickness or of a layer of leather, an intermediate layer of cork or other suitable material, and a top layer of felt or like moistureretainin g substance.

The object in providing an opening in the sole-plate O is to permit air to freely circulate underneath the hoof of the shod animal and, furthermore, to prevent the rotting of the hoof, as is always the case Where said soleplate is imperforate or is provided with no central opening.

My improved hoof-pad has the advantage that it furnishes a good foothold for the horse on asphalt or other slippery streets and permits at the same time free access of air to the hoof, so as to prevent diseases of the foot due to the exclusion of the air.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. Ahoof-pad, consisting of an elastic cushion of U shape, the connecting portion of which is much thicker than the side portions, said side portions being recessed to form tongues or fins at the upper surface of the IOO Cushion, and :L sole-plate secured tothe cushwith a central opening, substantially as set ion and provided with it Central openn oonforth.

forming nem-Iy in size to the space Within the In testimony that I Claim the foregoing as shoe, substantially as set forth. my invention I have signed my name in pms- 5 2. Ahoof-pad, consisting of an elastic eusheneo of two subscribing Witnesses.

1011 thlekened at lts rear part and plovlded NICHOLAS G. MOONEY with tapering forwardly-extending tongues o1' fins, and with tapering ribs at the inner Witnesses:

edges of the said tongues o1- ns7 and a sole- PAUL GOEPEL, 1o plate attached to the cushion and provided GEO. IV. JAEKEL. 

